Still You, Part 2 of It's You, It's Always Been Yo
by kerrbear726
Summary: Martin and Ruthie have been dating for a few months, but can Martin keep his promise to Eric and Annie? New chapters are up!
1. Topless

A/N: Okay everyone, here's Part 2 to "It's You, It's Always Been You"! I've got my ideas all laid out, but it will take a while to get it all processed, so bear with me. Thanks for all of the great reviews…you guys are so inspiring! This part takes off a few months after Ruthie and Martin have been dating, but I'll give you a bit of background. Enjoy! Please r&r.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Ruthie waited patiently by the side of Martin's car, taking her sweater off to enjoy the hot weather. Martin was unusually late today and Ruthie wondered what was keeping him. He knew that they were riding home together, so where was he?

"Ruthie?" came a close-by female voice.

Ruthie turned to see Meredith and smiled unsteadily. Things with Meredith had recently gotten a lot better; they were on speaking terms now, but mostly just the odd hi in the hallway or at church. But now Meredith was heading straight for her. Ruthie always got nervous when Meredith was around.

"Hi Meredith," Ruthie greeted. "How are you?"

"Good, thanks. Sorry we haven't really spoken in a while. I guess things were harder for me than I thought," Meredith admitted.

Ruthie smiled. "It's okay. I'm just really sorry that I never got the chance to explain things to you."

Meredith held up a hand and shook her head. "Please don't. It's still not okay with me. I just thought that it would be a good idea to start talking again given we'll be spending prom night together."

Ruthie gave Meredith a confused look. "Prom night?"

Meredith blushed. "Martin didn't tell you?"

A wave of panic washed over Ruthie. Martin had been acting weird for the last two weeks. He was distracted and now today, he was late. Was he planning on taking Meredith to the prom?

"Mac asked me to go to the prom with him."

Ruthie gave a sigh of relief and almost giggled out loud over her silliness. "That's really nice, Meredith. And Martin's okay with this?"

"He was the one who suggested it actually. You have nothing to worry about since it's pretty obvious that the only thing on Martin's mind these days is you," Meredith assured. "But if you have a problem with Mac bringing me, I won't go."

Ruthie shook her head and smiled warmly at the girl who used to be such a great friend. "I think you and Mac going to the prom is a great idea. I think we'll all have a good time. I was a little worried over who Mac might be bringing. I'm glad it's you."

Meredith smiled and, impulsively, hugged Ruthie. "I should go," she stammered, stepping back awkwardly. "I'll see ya around."

As Ruthie watched Meredith walk away, she smiled to herself. Mac and Meredith! It made so much sense! Ruthie was glad that Martin had suggested it, showing that he was completely over his ex-girlfriend. Now if he would just show up soon.

"Sorry!" Martin called from across the now-empty parking lot. "I got caught up with the Guidance Counselor."

"Everything okay?" Ruthie asked, as Martin unlocked her door and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Martin shrugged. "Just last minute college stuff, that's all. I did see you and Meredith talking. Everything okay on that front?"

Ruthie smiled and gave Martin a look. "Why didn't you tell me that she and Mac were going to the prom together?"

Martin shrugged. "I wasn't sure that Mac would actually ask her, or that you would be okay with it. So, you are, okay with it?"

Ruthie nodded. "I think it's a good match, so kudos to you!"

Martin put the car into reverse and backed out of his usual parking spot. He was parked at the gate, waiting for the traffic to disperse, to make his turn and head for home, when Ruthie put her hand on his leg.

"We still have a bit before supper," she pointed out.

Martin smiled at Ruthie, the girl he was crazy about, getting crazier by the minute. He knew what she was suggesting and it didn't take long for him to flip the car's signal in the other direction.

Since they had begun dating a few months earlier, Martin and Ruthie's relationship had been progressing nicely. They had weathered her parents' constant interference and 'advice' from her older brothers and sister. And they had discovered how easy it was to go from being friends to being a couple.

Martin parked the car in their usual spot; under a huge weeping willow tree with a gorgeous view of a small pond and an old oak-filled forest. Oddly enough, they had discovered this place completely by accident. Martin had been giving Ruthie one of her first driving lessons, which was not exactly working out well. Martin told Ruthie to go left, Ruthie went right, and into this secluded piece of heaven, they came. It was the one place where they could be alone and not have to worry about the Camden spy team finding them.

Most times they would sit in the car and talk about the things they hoped for, were scared of, wanted to cry over. Some times they would sit in silence, holding hands and enjoying the peacefulness of nature. Today, Martin sensed that Ruthie wanted something more than good conversation or peaceful silence.

Martin turned off the ignition and turned to Ruthie with an expectant smile. "So? We're here."

Ruthie threw herself into Martin's waiting arms, pressing her mouth fully to his. They kissed each other warmly, enjoying their cocoon of comfort. Ruthie loved the way she felt when Martin kissed her, especially when it was just the two of them. Without the worry of parents or nosy friends, Martin would kiss her fully, without hesitation or reserve. These were the kisses Ruthie spent sleepless nights fantasizing about.

Martin placed a hand behind Ruthie's neck, drawing her body into his, opening his mouth to hers and tasting Ruthie completely. As the car began to heat up, Martin, reluctantly drew his mouth away from Ruthie's, breathing heavily and placing both hands on the steering wheel.

"Something wrong?" Ruthie asked.

Martin's brow creased and he took a deep breath. "What's wrong is that I'm crazy about you, Ruthie Camden. And when we kiss the way we were just kissing, I want to throw you into the back seat of this car and do ungodly things to you. We agreed to tone things down a bit, didn't we?"

Ruthie straightened in her seat. The last time they had been together like this was at Martin's house, in his bedroom. Ruthie blushed, remembering the day like it was yesterday.

_There was gentle music playing in the background, Lifehouse maybe. Ruthie wasn't sure and didn't care. All that mattered was how wonderful she felt being in Martin's arms, feeling his kisses on her neck, enjoying the steady warmth growing inside her._

_How had they gone from doing their homework to lying on Martin's bed, involved in a pretty wild make out session? Who care! Ruthie told herself. Martin has never been like this with you and you're loving every minute of it!_

_Of course, it was bound to happen. Ruthie and Martin couldn't seem to ever get any privacy. If it wasn't a member of the Camden family spying on them, it was someone from the community. And then there was Mac, who had no girlfriend and wanted to hang out constantly with his two friends. It seemed like whenever there was a moment alone, Ruthie and Martin were kissing._

"_Ruthie?" Martin asked suddenly, stopping his trail of kisses._

_Ruthie couldn't speak. She couldn't form a logical thought in her head for the life of her! She looked deeply into Martin's mesmerizing eyes and pulled him back down for another kiss._

_And that's how Ruthie ended up topless…_

"Ruthie?" Martin asked, bringing her back to present day. "I think we should get going."

Ruthie nodded her head. "I'll try to do better."

Martin smiled and brought Ruthie close to his side, kissing the top of her head. "If this were anyone else it wouldn't be this hard. But I'm glad that it is."


	2. Delusional

"I hope it's going to be okay that I came with you for Martin's graduation. I know that your family isn't exactly pleased with our dating," Sandy said, giving Simon a worried look. "I just really want to try with them, especially Martin."

Simon smiled at Sandy, glad that she was here with him. He had broken the news of his breakup with Rose only two months ago. His family had been upset, but not nearly as upset as when they heard he was now dating Sandy. After all, this was the girl who had lied about being pregnant to trap Martin into a relationship. Simon, once again, stared at Sandy when he was sure she wasn't looking. This wonderful, amazing girl sitting next to him was nothing like the girl he had tried to help months earlier. He was proud of the accomplishments she had been making lately; proud of the woman she was turning into.

But that still didn't stop Simon from worrying about how his family would treat Sandy once they arrived in Glen Oak. And then there was Martin… The last time Simon and Martin had seen each other, things had been rather hostile (to put it lightly).

"_Get the hell off my baby sister!" Simon screamed, anger deepening the hue of his handsome face. "Now!"_

_Simon grabbed Martin by the shoulders, heaving him off of Ruthie, tossing him aside like his weight equaled that of a feather. Simon swung around to Ruthie, not able to look her in the eye. "Put your clothes on, now! I'm taking you home!"_

"_Simon, whoa, stop!" Martin stammered, holding up both of his hands in the form of a surrender. "Let's just be calm here so we can talk about this."_

_Simon turned his attention to a spot on the floor. He bent down and picked something up, throwing it at Martin. "Put your pants on! And talk? Is that what you were doing with my baby sister?"_

_Ruthie, now fully clothed, regained her voice. "I'm not a baby, Simon!"_

"_Shut up!" Simon yelled at Ruthie._

"_Hey! Don't talk to her that way!" Martin defended, rushing over to stand protectively in front of Ruthie. He still had no shirt on, so Ruthie scrambled around the bed and, finding his t-shirt, handed it over to Martin._

"_What are you doing just barging into my house anyway?" Martin asked, quickly putting the blue t-shirt over his head and pulling it down over his chiseled body._

_Simon's face still looked furious, but his tone was much more calm. "I knocked on the door. I rang the doorbell. I knew that you were in here because I could hear music and your car's in the driveway. I figured that you couldn't hear because the music was so loud, so I let myself in. Trust me, I wasn't expecting to see this!"_

_Ruthie got up from the bed, which had been her shelter through Simon's rampage. "It's not what you think, Simon!"_

_Simon held up a hand. "I don't care for the details, thanks. I think I've seen enough. Get your things. We're leaving!"_

_Simon began to head for the door, when Martin stepped forward and said, "Simon, please. Let's just keep this between us."_

_Simon turned back once he'd reached the doorway. "You nailed and then bailed Sandy. You weren't even there for her when you thought she was pregnant. Now you've moved on to my baby…little sister. I'm supposed to be okay with that? You've proven that you're not responsible. If you'd ignore the woman who's supposedly pregnant with your child, what sense of decency do you really have?"_

_Martin sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "You're forgetting that Sandy lied about the whole thing. She was never pregnant. And she has nothing to do with my relationship with Ruthie."_

"_Well I'm not okay with you dating my sister and I'm really not okay with you sleeping with my sister!" Simon yelled._

_Martin backed up. "We haven't slept together! That," he said, pointing to the bed, "that was not what you seem to be thinking it was. There's been no… We have never… I would never…"_

_Ruthie would have laughed at Martin's backpedaling if Simon weren't standing there looking like he was about to tear Martin's head off. Ruthie placed a gentle hand on Martin's sleeve, urging him to quit while he was ahead. She turned to Simon and said, "We're not having sex. We're not going to have sex. But if we were going to or already were, it's none of your business. I have never butted into your sex life, so I expect that same courtesy from you. Now, you've made your point. You can go."_

_Simon said, "After Martin."_

"_I live here," Martin pointed out. "I'm not going anywhere." Martin stepped back and folded his arms across his chest._

"_Well I'm not going anywhere either!" Simon said, folding his arms across his chest._

_Ruthie looked from Simon to Martin and back again. They could be so stubborn. "Fine!" she conceded. "I'll go!"_

Simon took a deep breath, letting the air seep slowly from his nostrils. He hadn't been able to look to Ruthie the same way since. His little sister had been half naked with an equally half naked boy. Little Ruthie…

Sandy placed a hand on Simon's, rubbing in gentle circles. "Are you okay?"

Simon shook his head. "I want them all to understand how many positive strides you've made since the whole fiasco happened."

Sandy shook her head and retracted her hand. "This weekend is not about proving that Sandy is a good person. We have a lifetime to do that. This is Martin's graduation weekend. I just want to be there to support him. It's the least I can do after what I put him through."

Simon smiled at Sandy, remembering why he fell in love with her in the first place. He hoped that this weekend would be a chance for the other, skeptical, members of his family to see the same things he saw every time he looked at her.

"Wanna hear something funny?" Sandy asked. Simon nodded his head, smile still in place. "I had this dream last night about coming up here with you. In it, I was helping Ruthie get ready for the prom; you know, hair, makeup, that kind of stuff. It felt really nice being with your family."

"So you want to help the girlfriend of your ex-one-night-stand get ready for their prom?" Simon patted Sandy on the head. "That's sweet. Delusional, but sweet."


	3. The Heart Knows

"Maybe I could take Savannah to my mother's this weekend?" Kevin suggested offhandedly.

Lucy looked up from the book she was reading and stared at her husband. "You are not going anywhere!"

Kevin sighed and stuck his tongue out at Lucy. "I do not want to be here this weekend. There will definitely be chaos in the true Camden style this weekend."

Lucy smiled through her own worries. Simon would be arriving soon…with Sandy. That alone could be disastrous. Now add Carlos, Charlie and Mary to the mix and you've got a real catastrophe!

"What do you think will happen when Mary and Carlos are together again?" Kevin asked, a deep crease forming on his forehead.

Lucy patted his hand supportively, closing her book. "They have talked since the divorce. I just can't believe that Mom and Dad would invite Mary and her ex-husband. It's not like Ruthie's the one graduating."

Kevin raised an eyebrow. "Maybe there's something else going on that we just don't know about."

Lucy smiled. "I think the worst has already happened. Mary and Carlos getting a divorce, Mary leaving Charlie with Carlos, Martin sleeping with Sandy, Simon moving in with Rose, Sandy saying that she was pregnant, Simon getting engaged to Rose, finding out Sandy lied about being pregnant, Simon going into debt to buy Rose an engagement ring, Ruthie and Martin dating, Simon and Rose breaking up, Simon deciding to start dating Sandy. Trust me, we've weathered the storm."

"Does Martin know that Sandy is coming down for his graduation?" Kevin asked.

Lucy made a face and shook her head. "Ruthie's supposed to be telling him today."

"You wanted to talk?" Martin asked, giving Ruthie a quick kiss on the cheek and taking a seat beside her on the back steps of the Camden's porch. "It sounded serious. Everything okay?"

"I have something to tell you," Ruthie began. Martin's face changed from easy-going to completely stressed out all in a matter of seconds. Ruthie smiled. "It's not that bad. It turns out that Simon has decided to bring someone home for your graduation."

Martin was on his feet before Ruthie had even finished talking. "I don't want her here!" he protested.

"I know, but she is Simon's girlfriend and according to Simon, she's been really trying to make a better life for herself lately," Ruthie explained.

"I don't care! I don't want her anywhere near me!" Martin shouted. "And while we're on this subject, I think that Simon is crazy to trust Sandy enough to start dating her!"

Ruthie knew that Martin would be furious about this. In fact, Ruthie felt a little angry herself. The last thing she wanted was the one girl who knew Martin better than she did being around him at this transitional period in his life. Martin had already been acting weird lately. Sandy could just send him into a tailspin.

"We don't have to hang out with her or anything. I'm just asking that you try to be nice, for Simon's sake," Ruthie pleaded.

Martin started to laugh, scaring Ruthie even more. When his laughter had subsided, Martin asked, "You do remember the last time Simon and I saw each other, right? He hates me, Ruthie and you're asking me to be nice to him and his liar of a girlfriend, the girl who tried to ruin my life?"

Ruthie looked at the ground. She hadn't really thought about Sandy too much since beginning to date Martin. But now she was feeling insecure and wished that Simon were bringing anyone but her. Heck, she'd even take Rose right now, over Sandy.

"I'm sorry," Martin said quietly, sitting back down beside Ruthie. "I didn't mean to freak out like that, but the thought of being anywhere near Sandy…"

"I don't like the thought of you being anywhere near her either," Ruthie admitted. "I have to be honest and tell you that knowing that you and her slept together, well, it sort of bothers me."

"You and me both," Martin agreed. "But you have to know by now that I'm not interested in anything about Sandy. You," he started, raising Ruthie's chin to look her in the eyes before continuing with, "are everything to me, Ruthie Camden. You are my best friend and my soul mate. The fact that Sandy knows a physical side to me…well that's nothing compared to knowing my heart and my soul."

Martin took Ruthie's hand and gently placed it over his steadily beating heart. "This belongs to you, Ruthie, exclusively. I could never even think about giving it to another girl. And someday, when we're both ready, we'll get to know each other the other way too. And it will be so much better because we've taken the time to get to know the stuff that really matters."

Ruthie smiled and leaned forward to kiss Martin lightly on the lips. She didn't know how he did it, but Martin had a way of always making Ruthie feel better. His words, like poetry, soothed every ache and self-doubt away. It was times like these that reaffirmed Ruthie's deepening feelings for Martin.

Too bad the feeling didn't last…


	4. The Gang's All Here

Ruthie looked up and saw Simon and Sandy standing over them, bags in hand, a foreshadow of the doomsday weekend ahead. Ruthie looked back at Martin, hoping that their 'interruptions' would disappear. But, averting her eyes away from Martin's handsome face and back to her brother, no one had disappeared.

"Hi Ruthie!" Sandy greeted warmly. "Martin."

Ruthie smiled slightly, old doubts rising inside her once again. She glanced at Martin, who was looking the other way. He hadn't said a word, nor had he looked in Sandy's or Simon's directions.

"Look," Sandy started. "I know that this will take us all a little while to get used to, so I won't push. I just wanted to say hi and congratulations, Martin." Sandy turned to leave and then turned back. "Ruthie? I was hoping that maybe you and I could talk later?"

Ruthie, eyes wide with surprise, was stunned into silence. "She has nothing to say to you," Martin spoke up, finally, still unable to look at Sandy.

Sandy walked into the house quietly, obvious defeat written in her body language. Simon watched her walk away, his heart going out to her. He turned back to Martin and said, "She's trying. You don't have to be so mean."

Martin looked Simon in the eye, getting to his feet. "You know nothing about what that girl put me through, is still putting me through. Your whole family looks at me in a completely different light because of her and her lies! If she thinks she's going to walk in here and all will be forgiven, then she's wrong."

Ruthie looked at Simon, urging him to leave before things got even more heated. Simon shrugged and walked back into the house. "Sorry," was all Martin could manage, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

Ruthie gave him a hug and soothed, "It's okay. I'm sorry that my family would even think having Sandy here for your big weekend was okay. They just don't get it sometimes."

"I think this decision wasn't theirs. I'm pretty sure that Simon chose to bring Sandy up here all on his own. It'll be okay. I just don't want her upsetting you," Martin confessed, holding Ruthie closer to his side. "Whatever she has to say, you don't need to hear it."

Ruthie rested her head on Martin's strong chest. She tried to forget about Sandy and the fact that she and Martin had slept together, but the image was burned forever into her mind. Ruthie suddenly wondered what it had been like. Had Martin been happy being with Sandy? Had he kissed her the way he kissed Ruthie? Had all the wonderful feelings Martin's touches invoked in Ruthie done the same for Sandy? Ruthie sighed heavily.

Martin pulled Ruthie away and stared into her eyes. "I know that sigh. You're worried about something?"

Ruthie smiled, covering up her inner turmoil, and brought herself back close to Martin's chest, squeezing him tightly to her.

"Simon is here, with Sandy," Annie whispered.

Eric looked up from his work into the worried eyes of his wife. He took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I've been dreading this since Simon told us he was bringing her down for Martin's graduation. Speaking of Martin, have he and Sandy seen each other?"

Annie nodded, shutting the door to her husband's makeshift office behind her. She tiptoed closer to his desk and said, "Martin wasn't too pleased with her being here and Sandy looked pretty defeated when she came through the door. I don't know that this weekend is going to go well at all."

Eric tried to smile at his wife before she left his office, but he was unable to make his muscles 'fake it'. He was worried about too much this weekend. Mary and Carlos. Simon and Sandy. Martin and Ruthie. Sandy and Martin. Ruthie and Sandy. Thank God for Lucy, Matt, Sam and David! At least they wouldn't be an added worry.

Slowly, Eric rose from his leather chair, stretching his limbs, drawing out the inevitable. He and Annie had always considered themselves blessed by God with their seven children. Eric raised his eyes heavenward. "God, you work in mysterious ways," he said.

"Isn't it a little early to be questioning God?" Simon asked, coming through the doorway.

Simon embraced his father with a quick hug and slap on the back. It was their usual greeting, especially as of late, with the problems Simon had had over the last year.

"Not questioning, just wondering," Eric answered goodheartedly. "Good trip?"

Simon nodded, smiling at his father. "Good. You do know that Sandy came with me, right?"

Eric nodded his head, reminding himself to be gracious and hospitable to his son. "So how are things on that front?"

"Well other than the fact that Rose refuses to accept that our engagement is off and our relationship is over, pretty good. Thanks again for that counselor you set up. Sandy's really getting a lot out of it and enjoying her group. So, what's new around here?" Simon asked, taking a seat in front of his father's oak desk.

Eric got the feeling like Simon was fishing for information, but he wasn't sure on what. The biggest piece of news around here lately had been Simon and Sandy.

"Not much," Eric said. "Lucy and Kevin are good. Ruthie's good. Sam and David are…"

"Good?" Simon interrupted with a laugh. "I hope you're not this poetic in your sermons on Sunday."

Eric shared a chuckle with his son, glad that Simon, for once, was so lighthearted. Simon had been on an emotional roller coaster for the last while. Maybe this was why Eric and Annie worried so much about his dating Sandy.

"So I see that Martin and Ruthie are still dating," Simon observed.

Eric tried to read Simon's tone. Simon had come to him months ago, just after Martin and Ruthie had begun dating, and expressed his concern.

"_I don't like the idea of them dating," Simon said._

"_Well, you don't have to like the idea. I'm not all that thrilled either, but there's no reason to keep them apart," Eric responded._

_A look passed over Simon's eyes, almost like he was having an inner debate over what should or shouldn't come from his mouth. Eric stared at Simon, trying to determine what this look meant. Did Simon know something?_

_Simon shook his head. "I just think that Ruthie is too young to be this 'involved' with a guy, especially one like Martin."_

"_We can't judge Martin based on one mistake. Would you want to be judged that way?"_

_Simon sighed heavily. "I was judged that way for a long time. I hated it then, but I realize now that I had to prove myself again."_

_Eric wanted to laugh out loud. Simon hated the idea of his little sister dating someone who was experienced, sexually. How ironic that Simon himself had already been sexually active with more than one partner, and was continuing to do so with Rose._

"_I know what you're thinking," Simon accused. "You're thinking that I'm a hypocrite to be judging Martin on something that I'm just as guilty of, aren't you?" Eric raised an eyebrow, but remained silent. "Well," Simon continued, "I know that I've made mistakes just like Martin. I just think that Ruthie may be in way over her head here. Have you thought about the pressures she'll feel dating someone who's experienced?"_

_Eric cringed. Every day, he thought to himself. I worry about my baby girl every single day. But he chose not to speak this way to Simon, not wanting to encourage a rift between his son and Martin. "I think that we should trust Ruthie and forgive Martin for his mistakes. The rest is out of our hands."_

_Even as Eric spoke the words, he still felt that there was something Simon wasn't telling him._

"You're still bothered by Ruthie's dating Martin, aren't you?" Eric asked nonchalantly.

Simon shrugged. He'd had a few months to mull over the situation and had decided to take his father's advice. "I trust Ruthie to make the right decisions. I forgive Martin for the way he treated Sandy. I leave the rest up to God."

Simon offered his father a final smile before departing. Had his words been meant so harshly; repeating Eric's exact words back to him in a sarcastic tone? Simon wasn't buying Eric's 'advice' any more than Eric was buying Simon's.

Mary approached her front door with trepidation over what was to come. No one in the family had been pleased with her decision to divorce Carlos and leave Charlie in her ex-husband's care.

Carlos placed a supportive hand on his ex-wife's back. "It will be okay, Mary. Our issues are our business."

Mary smiled up at the man she still loved, knowing that her marriage and its dissolution had, ultimately, been of her own doing. She reached out and took Charlie from Carlos' arms. The little boy, happy to be reunited with his mother, clung to Mary, burying his small, tired face into her coat.

Reaching out, Mary turned the doorknob, taking one last breath of fresh air, before entering the house that had always managed to tie her into knots…


	5. Cold Showers

Martin peered over the edge of his History text and stared at an unaware Ruthie. She had left her hair curly today and one lone, unmanaged curl had snuck from behind her ear and was resting gently against the side of Ruthie's flawlessly complexioned face. God, she's beautiful, Martin thought to himself.

_Ruthie suddenly looked up from her own book, catching Martin staring at her. She smiled, tucked the strand of hair back behind her ear and winked at Martin. His breath caught. Such an innocent gesture, yet such a turn-on! Ruthie could be dressed in a snowsuit and she'd still be appealing to Martin._

"_What?" Ruthie asked finally._

"_Huh?" Martin asked, trying to shake himself out of his daze._

_Ruthie smiled and bit into her rose-colored bottom lip. "You were staring. I think your concentration is lacking."_

_Martin licked his lower lip. "My concentration is just fine," he flirted, looking at Ruthie pointedly._

_Ruthie blushed, unable to hide the smile that Martin's comment had caused. She tried to continue with her reading, reminding herself that she was here to study, but found it distracting having Martin staring at her in silence._

"_You need to get back to work," Ruthie suggested, pointing at Martin's History textbook._

_Martin closed his book in defiance. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes slightly. Ruthie looked at him curiously. "What?"_

"_Come here," Martin ordered in a husky voice._

_Ruthie took a deep breath, urging herself to say no and continue with her studying. In the end, the tension in Martin's bedroom got the better of her and she too, closed her book. She looked up at the handsome young man sitting on the floor beside her. Martin eased sex appeal without even meaning to. It made it hard for Ruthie to keep her senses sometimes._

_Martin had hoisted himself up onto the edge of his double bed, sitting there, still staring at Ruthie. "It's been a long time since you and I have been alone together."_

_Ruthie giggled nervously. "Yeah. My family hasn't exactly been letting go, have they?"_

_Martin shook his head, reaching down for Ruthie's hand, gently guiding her to the bed as well. Ruthie sat down beside Martin, reminding herself that she and Martin had been alone like this plenty of times. But, those had been times when neither had realized there were feelings between them. Those had been times when there was no sexual tension. This was not one of those times._

_Martin swallowed hard and leaned forward until his lips met with Ruthie's. He kissed her gently, enjoying how easy it was to melt Ruthie's resolve. He was thoroughly enjoying the simple kiss until Ruthie pressed her small body into his, urging Martin to the next level. Normally Martin could control himself, but not this time._

_Ever so gently, Martin deepened the kiss, until Ruthie became more relaxed. When a small groan of satisfaction escaped her throat, Martin guided Ruthie until she was lying on her back, Martin on top of her._

"_Martin?" Ruthie managed to get out in between kisses that were growing dangerously passionate._

"_It's okay," Martin whispered. "We can stop if you want to."_

_Ruthie's brain had put on the red light minutes ago, but Ruthie's body was all about the green, so she pulled Martin back down, kissing him like she would never see him again._

_Minutes of lying there kissing had passed. Martin had paused for a moment to turn on his stereo, giving Ruthie the added enjoyment of a simple, light atmosphere for a situation that was anything but!_

_Martin had begun to trace a path of kisses down Ruthie's neck, discovering the spot that caused such a feeling of ecstasy in her, Ruthie never wanted Martin to stop. Martin tried hard to keep his body in check, but found it hard. He loved everything about this girl. Her lips, her neck, her tongue…_

_Gently, Martin pulled Ruthie's shirt a little farther off the shoulder and was pleasantly surprised when Ruthie undid the first few buttons of her top, giving Martin a slight view of breasts that he hadn't even known were there! _

_And that's how Martin and Ruthie ended up half naked…_

Martin awoke with a start, his alarm buzzing loudly into his ear. He reached up, banging the snooze button and falling back onto his pillows, sighing heavily. He shook his head and looked up at the ceiling, trying to get himself together. He'd been having the same erotic dream about Ruthie since the day it had happened.

Martin was lying in bed, trying to prepare himself to get up when the phone rang. He reached over and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Hi! What's up?" came Ruthie's chipper voice.

Martin stared down at his sheets and rolled his eyes. "Uh, nothing."

"Today's Wednesday! You have exactly three more days left of your high school career. Are you excited?" Ruthie asked.

Martin bit his lip, trying not to laugh at his present predicament. "Uh, yeah. I'm really excited."

"Me too. I even dreamed about you last night."

Martin cleared his throat. "Anything interesting?" He wondered if she was suffering the way he was.

"Maybe," Ruthie teased. "Well, I guess I'll see you in about an hour. I have to go shower now."

Martin hung up the phone, closing his eyes and picturing Ruthie wet and… He slapped his forehead, trying to knock his dirty thoughts from his mind. He rose gingerly, not looking forward to the cold shower he would be having again this morning!

"You need a ride to school?" Mary asked, peeking around the corner of Ruthie's bedroom door.

Ruthie turned to smile at Mary. She was glad to see her older sister again. "No, but thanks. Martin's coming to get me."

Mary smiled, recognizing the familiar look of first love on Ruthie's face. She had seen the same look on Lucy's face not so long ago when she had first started dating Kevin. Mary hoped that Ruthie's experience with love would turn out like Lucy's and not hers.

"Mary?" Ruthie asked suddenly, shaking Mary from her thoughts. "You got a sec?"

"For my little sister? Of course!" Mary said, shutting the door quietly and sitting down on Ruthie's bed. "What's up?"

Ruthie's cheeks turned scarlet, telling Mary that this was going to be a memorable conversation. Mary hoped that she'd be able to help Ruthie with whatever this was about. "It's about Martin."

Mary smiled. Boys. Now that subject she knew a bit about. "What about him?"

"I really like him."

Mary shrugged. "Tell me something I don't know. In all of our e-mails, that's all you ever talk about. Things must be going well for the two of you."

"Maybe a little too well," Ruthie admitted. "Sometimes when we're together, I can get a little carried away."

A look of worry flashed across Mary's face. She wasn't ready for her sixteen-year old sister to be having sex or to be choosing to discuss it with Mary.

"It's not like we've done _that_," Ruthie assured. "But _that's_ come close."

Mary took a deep breath, trying to find the best way to approach this subject. She hadn't waited to have sex, but she had made a lot of mistakes in her day, some that she was paying the ultimate price for. She wanted better for her sister.

"You think that I should wait, don't you?" Ruthie asked, sounding a little disheartened.

"I'm not an expert on this subject. I didn't wait and look how things turned out for me. Now Lucy chose to wait and look how wonderful her relationship with Kevin is," Mary pointed out.

"So you think I should wait?" Ruthie repeated.

"I think that this decision is yours, Ruthie," Mary shrugged, wishing she could be of more help to her confused sister. "I know that Mom and Dad would tell you to wait until you're married because it's the belief they subscribe to. You need to figure out what belief you subscribe to."

"Even if it's not what Mom and Dad would want?" Ruthie asked.

"I'm not saying that you should go against what Mom and Dad have taught us. But you'll be more committed to your decision if it's something you truly belief in. And if that turns out to be not waiting, then I would like us to talk before that happens," Mary advised.

"I've always said that I would wait, but I never felt the way I feel about Martin before. When I'm with him, it's like everything is perfect."

"And this has nothing to do with him and Sandy?" Mary inquired.

Ruthie sighed, joining Mary on her unmade bed. "I hate the idea of her knowing him that way. I mean, what if she marries Simon and I marry Martin? I'll have to spend the rest of my life knowing that they had sex with each other. I hate that!"

Mary gave Ruthie a sympathetic hug. "I hate to tell you this, but whether you and Martin have sex or not, him having been with Sandy, well, that's never going to change. Just don't rush into something this major because you want to one up Sandy, okay? Sex is complicated enough on its own. Have you talked to Martin about this?"

"Martin and I have agreed to take things down a notch. We try not to talk about Sandy. And I don't want him to think I'm insecure or something," Ruthie admitted.

"But you are, Ruth. And that's nothing to be ashamed of. Talk to Martin, Ruthie. If you and he are so connected, he'll understand and maybe even be able to ease your mind a little."


	6. The Crusade

"Mac?" Eric asked, opening the back door, surprised to see Martin's friend.

"Hey, Reverend Camden. Is Ruthie ready for school?" Mac asked easily.

Eric raised a curious eyebrow, but stepped aside to let the young man in. Why was Mac here? And why was he picking up Ruthie?

Mac, sensing Eric's piqued interest, explained. "Martin had to go gas up the car. He had offered to give me a ride this morning, so I said I'd come over here and put a rush on Ruthie while he went to the gas station."

Eric breathed a sigh of relief and offered Mac a glass of juice. Mac, constantly hungry, accepted and sat down at the empty island. Eric smiled when he offered Mac a bagel and the boy eagerly accepted. The Camden house had fed him enough times as it was, what was one more?

"So, graduation soon?" Eric asked, watching the young man inhale the bagel. "You must be excited."

Mac nodded, mouth still full of food. When he swallowed he answered with, "Yeah, it'll be nice to leave that place behind. I can't wait for college."

Eric laughed. He wondered how Martin and Ruthie were feeling about their imminent separation. He guessed they weren't going to be as happy as the single, free-loving Mac was.

"I'm taking Meredith to the prom," Mac announced. "That should be cool."

Eric shook his head. Kids these days! They switched partners more times than they changed socks! "Meredith? And Martin's okay with that?"

"It was his idea," Mac replied, finishing off his bagel and slamming back his orange juice. "He's not into Meredith anymore anyway, sir. It's all about Ruthie now."

"All about Ruthie?" Eric asked.

Mac laughed. "Martin is crazy about your daughter, Reverend Camden. He wouldn't even be able to look at another girl. And the guy's so excited about his big surprise for Ruthie on prom night…"

Ruthie came down the stairs then, interrupting the conversation that Eric wanted so desperately to finish. But Mac saw Ruthie and clamped his jaw shut, winking secretively at Eric, before grabbing his backpack and following Ruthie out the door. Eric leaned on the counter, pondering what the 'big surprise' Martin had planned for Ruthie was.

"You look perplexed," Matt noted entering the kitchen. "Mom up yet?"

"Uh, she took Sam and David to school."

Matt looked at his father, recognizing the familiar worried look he carried. Something was up…in the Camden household, something was always up.

"You okay?" Matt asked, grabbing a bowl and box of cereal from the cupboard.

Simon entered the kitchen, hair tousled, sleepy look still in his eye. "Why aren't you okay?"

Eric turned to his sons and looked mysteriously around the kitchen. He waved them closer to where he was seated. Simon and Matt gave each a look before moving toward their father.

"Mac was here this morning," Eric started. "He said that Martin is planning some kind of surprise for Ruthie on prom night. What do you think that means?"

Matt and Simon exchanged looks before blurting out in unison, "Sex!"

Eric clutched his chest. If the big one hasn't taken me yet, it's sure going to take me now, he thought to himself.

"Think about it, Dad," Simon pointed out. "Kids have sex on prom night. It's like some kind of rite of passage or something. Martin is going to try to seduce Ruthie on prom night."

Matt shook his head. "We should warn her or something." Matt began to think of a good plan to save his little sister's virginity. "I know! Just don't let her go!"

Kevin walked into the back door, Savannah tucked safely into the crook of his muscular arm. He took one look at the three Camden men in their huddle and knew he had just walked into trouble. He stared at them. They stared at him. Kevin cleared his throat. They cleared their throats. Kevin shook his head, reached for the doorknob and left the house, sure that he didn't want to be involved in whatever plot the three were hatching.

"I'll talk to Martin later," Eric said with a heavy sigh. "And whatever you do, let's just keep this between us and no one else, okay?"

Matt and Simon looked at each other and nodded. They could keep a secret…

"Martin is going to try to de-virginize Ruthie!" Matt exploded as soon as he entered the room he and Sarah were staying in.

Sarah, who'd flown in late last night and was still jet-lagged, looked at her husband like he was crazy. She sighed and fell back onto her pillow.

"Did you hear what I said?" Matt asked, hopping onto the bed and poking his wife.

Sarah gave him a dirty look. "You've been with your father and Simon, haven't you?"

Matt raised a finger in protest, but Sarah shook her head, warning Matt that this was not the time to be lying to her. "Okay, yes, but Mac told my father that Martin is planning some big surprise for Ruthie on prom night. You know what that means!"

Sarah raised herself up, propping her pillow against the headboard and leaning against it. "It could mean that Martin is hiring a limo. It could mean he's gotten her a dozen roses or a really nice corsage. It could mean he's requested a special song for them to dance to. It could mean he's going to give her a present, like a bracelet or a necklace. It does not mean that he is planning to bring her to some sleazy motel and have his way with her."

Matt tried to process all of the suggestions his wife had just made, but none sounded as juicy as the conclusion Eric, Simon and he had reached. And when you're a Camden, it's all about the juice!

"Stop being so snoopy and leave your little sister alone!" Sarah ordered. "If you and your crazy father and brother ruin Ruthie and Martin's night, I will never forgive you!"

Simon opened the door to Sandy's bedroom gently. He was expecting to find her still sleeping, but instead, she was sitting on the already made bed, fully dressed, writing in her daily journal. She looked up when Simon entered and noticed a worried look on his pale face.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Simon closed the door behind him and joined her on the bed. "I have some news that I'm supposed to keep to myself, but I don't think that I can. I've been holding onto it for ten minutes now and it's killing me. If I tell you a secret, will you promise not to tell anyone?"

"Of course," Sandy agreed, abandoning her journal. "What is it?"

Simon took a deep breath. "I think that Martin and Ruthie are planning on having sex on prom night."

Sandy didn't want to be privy to this information. "I don't want to know this, Simon. I've been making a lot of progress and keeping secrets or telling lies wouldn't help me."

"Yeah, but this came from Mac, Martin's best friend."

"Martin's best friend told you that Martin is planning to have sex with Ruthie this weekend?" Sandy asked.

"Not exactly. You see, Mac told my father that Martin has some big surprise for Ruthie on prom night."

"And?" Sandy asked.

Simon sighed. "It has to mean sex."

Sandy almost laughed, but kept her humor to herself. "If that's the only piece of information you have to go on, you've really jumped to the wrong conclusion. Martin is not going to seduce Ruthie on prom night, Simon. You should be a little ashamed thinking that."

Simon was proud of the efforts Sandy was making to turn her life around. She was attending church regularly, kept a daily journal to remind herself of her goals in life, and she was a more grounded person on the whole. But all Simon wanted her to be right now was a crusader for his cause; to save Ruthie's virginity!

"It's a possibility," Simon finally managed.

Sandy nodded her head. "Yes, but so is an earthquake or a tornado and I'm pretty sure that we're safe from those things for the present moment. Besides, if Ruthie and Martin are planning to have sex, it's not our business."

"But she's only sixteen!" Simon protested. "I don't want that for her. I want her to be married when she has sex for the first time."

"Isn't that a little hypocritical?" Sandy asked. "It's nice to want something better for Ruthie, but it's not okay to stand in her way of doing what she wants to. It's time for you and your father and whoever else was involved in this little guessing game of yours to just let go. Ruthie is a smart girl and she will make decisions that are right for her. Martin cares about her a lot. He'll do everything he can to keep her safe."

"And the rest is up to God," Simon said sarcastically.

"So, do you think I'm right?" Eric asked Annie.

Annie's brow creased in frustration. "You and your two sons should be ashamed of yourselves! When Martin began dating Ruthie, he made a promise to us and so far, we have no reason to suspect that he hasn't kept that promise! But we also made a promise to him; that we'd stop misjudging him and give him back the trust we used to have in him. Eric Camden, you have been watching that poor boy like a hawk since the day you gave him and Ruthie permission to date. And has Martin given you any reason to think that he would do something like this?"

Eric knew that he had ignited a flame of anger in his wife, one that would probably burn for a while. But he still couldn't shake the feeling like Ruthie was in some sort of spiritual danger.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Annie pushed.

Eric shrugged, not wanting to give in so easily. "It could be right."

"But it probably isn't. It seems like every time you get together with Matt or Simon, you come up with some blown up version of the real story!" Annie shouted, hands raised up to heaven. "Forgive my husband, God, and my two sons. Their own lives aren't exciting enough, they have to become engulfed in other peoples'."


	7. Misunderstandings

"He's just been acting…odd lately," Ruthie said.

Mac shrugged, sure he knew why Martin was acting so strangely lately; the boy was in love! "He's just dealing with college stuff and finals. He'll be fine in a few days. And trust me, he'll make prom night a memorable one for you, Ruthie."

Ruthie watched Mac walk away, heading off to his first class with his usual pit stop at the candy bar vending machine. (Mac was always hungry!) What had he meant by making prom night memorable? Did Martin have something special planned?

Ruthie had begged her parents for permission to extend her curfew. Her father had said no. Her mother, the more logical, understanding of the two, said that Ruthie could be home by midnight. All she cared about was being with Martin, dancing up a storm, dressing up in her beautiful gown and having Martin kiss her under the stairs on her front porch.

"You look like a girl in love," Meredith said coming up to Ruthie.

Ruthie smiled awkwardly at Meredith. They had chatted a few times since her announcement about going to the prom with Mac, but Ruthie still felt weird, especially discussing her relationship with Martin, in front of Meredith.

"Hey. Did you see Mac? He was heading your way."

Meredith smiled. "It's a good thing my locker is on the way to the junk food machine or else I'd probably never see Mac! Are you getting excited about Saturday?"

Ruthie smiled. She was glad that she would be sharing this night with Meredith. Once upon a time the two girls had been close. It would nice to get that friendship back, especially if Martin wouldn't be here next year. "I bought my dress weeks ago. Mary's home, so she's offered to do my hair for me."

Meredith nodded her head. "I thought that Cecilia would be home, but something came up, so I guess I'll just have to figure something else out."

A great idea struck Ruthie so hard it almost knocked her over! "If it wouldn't be too weird, you could come and get ready at my house. With Mary, Lucy, Sarah and my mom, someone's bound to be able to help out with your hair too!"

Meredith beamed. "I'd really like that, Ruthie. I have only one question. Mac told me that Simon came home for Martin's graduation. Did he bring…with him?"

Ruthie made a face. "Yes. Sorry. I forgot that there was someone else with an equal reason for hating her as much as I do. Is that a problem?"

Meredith put her arm around Ruthie's shoulders, like the old times when the two had plotted to get the men they thought they both wanted. "If there's two of us, Sandy won't be a problem."

Martin sighed and looked at his watch. Ruthie had said that she just needed to change. She went upstairs almost twenty minutes ago. In the past, waiting for Ruthie in her kitchen wouldn't have bothered Martin. He probably would have opened the fridge and helped himself. But things were different now. The Camden household no longer felt warm and welcoming. If he didn't know better Martin would swear the Reverend Camden had installed video cameras in every area of this house and was watching him at this very moment!

"Martin!" Eric called coming into the room suddenly.

Martin jumped and clutched his chest. "Reverend Camden, hi."

"Little jumpy there, son. Something on your mind?" Eric asked taking a seat, a little too closely to Martin.

Martin looked away, swallowing hard. He hated the way Eric looked at him; like Martin was about to shed his skin and reveal his true, evil identity. So this is what it's like to date a girl whose father can't stand you? A smart man would know when to quit!

"Martin?" Eric pushed. "You okay?"

Martin nodded his head and attempted a smile, but the effort was feeble. "Just waiting for Ruthie. We're going to the Promenade for a milkshake."

"No exams?" Eric asked.

"I have one tomorrow, but I've been studying like crazy, so this will be a good break before I get back to the books tonight."

Eric observed Martin, fidgeting. A small bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face. Something was going on with this boy and Eric was determined to find out!

"So, prom," Eric said simply.

"Yeah?"

Eric smiled. "Saturday."

"Yes, sir."

"Got any special plans?" Eric asked, hardly able to stop himself from manhandling this boy into a confession.

Martin shook his head and averted his eyes to the stairs, willing Ruthie to come down them and rescue him from this horrible situation.

"Nothing special planned for prom night?" Eric asked skeptically. "Hard to believe that a red-blooded American, eighteen year-old young man wouldn't have anything special planned for his one and only prom."

And that's when Martin cracked. "Okay, Reverend Camden! Why don't you just say what you know?"

Eric sat back surprised by Martin's outburst. He was breaking the kid! "What I know?"

"Yes. You know or think you know something and you're trying to get it out of me, but I have no idea what you want me to say. So, to save us both a lot of time and agony, why don't you just tell me what you know or think you know?"

This was a different approach, Eric thought. He's trying to turn the tables here. How should I best approach this?

"I spoke to Mac the other day and he let the cat out of the bag," Eric confessed.

Martin's face fell. "He told you? Everything?"

Eric nodded his face. "It's best if you just come clean. Cleanse your soul, son."

Martin sighed heavily. "It's something that I want to do, Reverend Camden. I figure that my father probably won't be that happy with my decision, but I know that Ruthie will. It's something she's wanted, but been too afraid to ask for."

Eric face distorted until he was nothing but an ugly shell of his former self. Never in all of his years had he wanted to hit another human being as much as he wanted to hit this boy sitting in front of him.

"And I know that there could be long-term repercussions, but who cares? In the end, if it makes me happy, then so what? I'm actually really glad to have gotten this off my chest, Reverend Camden. I didn't think it would be this easy to tell you, but it really wasn't that bad. And not to be crass here, but the truth is that this decision doesn't really have anything to do with you or Mrs. Camden. But I am hoping that you'll understand and eventually, when you get used to the idea, you'll even be supportive," Martin said.

Ruthie came bouncing down the stairs just then, smiling at her father, who remained speechless. Ruthie gave her dad a small kiss on the cheek, took hold of Martin's hand and headed for the door. Martin turned back and smiled at Eric. "Thanks for the talk, Reverend Camden."


	8. Full Speed Ahead

"He just sat there, right in front of me, and admitted that he was planning to sleep with my daughter on Saturday night!" Eric exclaimed.

"Are we sure that your lines of communication weren't crossed or something?" Kevin asked, sure that there had to be some sort of mistake. "Did he actually say that he was going to sleep with Ruthie?"

Eric brushed off Kevin's comment and turned to Simon and Matt. "What should we do?"

Matt's face was red and angry. Simon's looked the same. The two brothers looked at each other and turned to their father. "We'll talk to him," Matt said. "We'll straighten him out," Simon agreed.

Kevin shook his head. "You three really need to stop and think this thing through. The last thing you want to do is end up hurting Ruthie."

Matt looked at Kevin with disgust. "Look, you are a Camden man now, Kevin. You should just get used to the idea that we don't 'think things through'. We are hotheaded men who take care of our family. You knew this about us before you married Lucy. Now, either get with the program or go out in the kitchen with the women!"

Kevin pushed back his chair and got to his feet. "I'd rather be out there amongst the sensible, level-headed people anyway. And just so you guys know, you're constantly jumping to conclusions, the wrong conclusions! You rarely ever help your fellow family members. Most times you just end of getting everything wrong and having to apologize for it later! Remember that."

Kevin walked off into the kitchen. Eric, Matt and Simon stared off into space, thinking over Kevin's words. When their eyes rejoined, Simon asked, "We're not believing that are we?"

Eric and Matt shook their heads and continued plotting.

Martin ran from the kitchen to the front door, hands dripping with soap suds, dish towel draped over one shoulder. He heaved the door open and sighed.

"What do you want?" Martin asked.

Sandy stood on Martin's front porch, trying not to smile at how domestic Martin looked. "I wanted to talk with you. Do you have a minute?"

Martin wanted to slam the door in her face, but knew he couldn't be that mean. Instead, he pointed to the steps, not wanting to accept Sandy into his home. He sat down as far away from her as he could.

"I know that you don't want to see me or talk to me. I don't blame you. I told a terrible lie for a terrible reason and it affected you. I'm sorry, but I did think that we should talk," Sandy pointed out.

"So, talk," Martin ordered, not looking in her direction.

"What happened between us was a mutual thing, Martin. I didn't assault you or anything. All this time, you've acted like an innocent here, but you were a willing participant," Sandy said pointedly.

Martin's face soured. He didn't even want to think about it. The thought of the night they had spent together wasn't one of his favorites. "I try not to think about it at all."

"I know that you're with Ruthie now and that the two of you really care about each other. I don't want to come between that, no matter what you think," Sandy explained.

"Then what do you want?" Martin asked.

"Closure I guess. Maybe a little forgiveness?"

"I have no forgiveness for you, Sandy," Martin admitted. "I've tried to be a good Christian and see things from your perspective, but I can't. You lied about a fake pregnancy to try and trap me into a relationship. If you hadn't lied, no one would ever have found out about us being together and the Camden's wouldn't look at me like I'm a sinner!"

"According to their beliefs, you are a sinner, Martin and that's not my fault!" Sandy defended. "I'm sorry that I lied. I was in a really messed up place in my life back then. I've been trying really hard to work through those things and change who I am. Simon's really helped me with that. He's given me a second chance and that's all I'm asking of you."

"Why would I want to do that?" Martin asked, finally allowing himself to look Sandy in the eye.

"Because you care about Ruthie as much as I care about Simon. We're dating two people who are in the same family. Us seeing each other is inevitable. But it doesn't have to be this awkwardness every time we are around each other. If we put this whole mess behind us and offer each other forgiveness, then we can move on and our relationships with Ruthie and Simon will benefit from it," Sandy listed.

Martin shook his head. "My relationship with Ruthie is fine."

Sandy shook her head. "She's insecure."

"You know absolutely nothing about Ruthie Camden!" Martin yelled. "Ruthie has more class in her baby finger than you have in your entire body! And she had nothing to be insecure about."

Sandy got to her unsteady feet. "I wasn't trying to insult Ruthie. I think she's a great person and I would love to be even a small portion of the girl she is. I just meant that her insecurity has to do with you and I and our past. I saw the look she had in her eye when you and I spoke the other day. Ruthie feels inadequate because she hasn't been you and I have. I don't want her to feel that way. You and I not speaking or looking at each other doesn't help Ruthie's self-confidence. Just something for you to think about."

Martin watched Sandy walk away, absorbing her last words. He knew that Ruthie was feeling insecure. How could she not? Martin was slamming on the brakes every time things started to heat up, but he had gone full speed with Sandy. Maybe it was time for Martin to take things to the next level with Ruthie; to show her how he really felt…


	9. Being a Camden

A/N: Sorry for the long delay, but don't worry, there's a few chapters coming out all at once. Hope everyone hasn't forgotten about the story. Thanks for the great reviews!

Ruthie shifted, restlessly, in her bed. Her covers were tangled, making all the thrashing she was doing difficult. Good thing Ruthie was unaware, lost in her unsettled slumber.

_Ruthie was lying on her back, Martin on top of her, only the slightest bit of cloth separating their eager bodies. In her mind, Ruthie knew that it was wrong, but her body was telling a different tale. _

_She remembered hearing Martin; he was giving her an out. She also remembered pulling him back down on top of her, sampling another of Martin's wonderful, intoxicating kisses. She felt light-headed, but never wanted the feeling to end. Martin's muscular body encased her, protecting her to a fault. How could this be wrong?_

"_Do you want to stop?" Martin asked between short breaths._

_Ruthie looked into Martin's loving eyes and saw heaven, she was sure of it. Was this a sign from God? Was He telling her that this was right for her?_

"_Don't…stop," Ruthie whispered shyly._

Ruthie awoke in a sweat, letting out a large sigh. She wondered if Martin was suffering the way she was. He always seemed so logical and clear-headed. Ruthie, on the other hand, felt like her body was going to burst into flames every time Martin came into her line of vision.

Ruthie lay in her roughed-up bed, staring at the ceiling. Tonight was the prom. Martin's graduation. This night was going to be so special, Ruthie just knew it. She looked over at her dress, hanging behind her door, and smiled. She loved the way she looked in that dress. Even more important, she loved the way Martin would think she looked in that dress.

Usually Ruthie loved being a Camden. Today, Ruthie was wishing she was just an everyday teenager, with parents who didn't quite care so much. Then maybe she would be allowed to stay out all night. Then maybe she could finally be with Martin the way she'd been wanting for so long.

But, Ruthie was a Camden…

Please r&r.


	10. Thanks to Sandy

"Ruthie! You look beautiful!" Meredith exclaimed entering Ruthie's bedroom. She was holding a garment bag and her hair was wild with curlers.

Ruthie looked at Meredith and smiled. "I'd say the same, but the truth is that your hair looks a little scary!"

Meredith laughed, touching one of her many curlers. "I had no idea what I was going to do with this hair of mine, but I figured I'd set the curlers just in case. Hi Mrs. Camden."

Annie smiled at Meredith. "Meredith, you haven't yet met Mary or Sarah, my daughter and daughter-in-law. Girls, this is Meredith. She's Mac's date for tonight."

Meredith sat down beside Ruthie and mouthed, "Where's Sandy?"

Ruthie shrugged. "Hiding?"

The truth was that Ruthie was actually feeling a little badly for Sandy. All of the girls in the house were locked away in this room, without a care for the whereabouts of Simon's new girlfriend. Ruthie was sure that they would have even accepted Rose, the royal pain! But she thought it best to stay silent. After all, the jury was still out on how Ruthie really felt about Sandy.

The next hour was spent in a sea of perfume, hairspray, makeup and panty hose, until two very beautiful girls emerged, ready for a wonderful night.

Everyone had left the room until just Ruthie and Meredith were left. Ruthie ran to her door and closed it lightly. She turned to Meredith and smiled. "I'm so nervous. You?"

Meredith let out a huge breath, plopping down into Ruthie's bed. "I thought I was the only one. I feel a little weird going with Mac, even though I think he's a really great guy. I feel like we hardly know each other and proms are supposed to be all romantic and stuff."

A flash of worry crossed over Ruthie. Meredith looked gorgeous. What if Martin took one look at her and regretted breaking up with her?

"I know what you're thinking and you can stop. Martin and I are just friends now, Ruthie. He is crazy about you and you're crazy about him. If ever there was a couple more meant for each other than you two, I've never seen it. I'm just worried about having to kiss Mac at the end of the night," Meredith admitted. "Is it expected?"

Ruthie laughed. "I wish kissing was the only thing I had to worry about."

Ruthie instantly blushed, feeling completely embarrassed for having let the words slip out of her mouth. The last thing she wanted to do was confide in Martin's ex-girlfriend about her sex problems.

"Are you and Martin?" Meredith asked. "Wait! Stop! I really don't want to know."

"We're not. Yet. Martin's been acting really weird lately and Mac mentioned something about some big surprise Martin's been planning for prom night. What could that be?" Ruthie asked, joining Meredith on the bed.

Meredith knew that Martin had slept with Sandy, but she doubted he would ever try something like that with Ruthie Camden. But sometimes people can surprise you.

"Girls!" Annie called. "The boys are here!"

Martin was still fidgeting with his tie when he rang the Camden's doorbell. He wished he hadn't let Mac talk him into renting a tuxedo; he felt stupid.

"Quit it!" Mac yelled, slapping Martin's hand away. "Why are you so nervous? You're taking your girlfriend. I'm the one bringing a virtual stranger!"

The door opened just then, revealing three large males with arms crossed over their chests, guarding the entry.

"Reverend Camden, Matt, Simon! Hey guys!" Mac said with a smile, walking into the entry. "Are the girls ready?"

Martin stepped forward, just as Mac had done, but the three Camden men also stepped forward, blocking Martin's entrance into the house. Martin found himself up against a force to be reckoned with.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"Eventually," Matt said. "But first there are some rules we need to go over."

"Rules?" Martin asked, his face beginning to heat up.

"Rules," Simon responded. "Ruthie is to be home at midnight…on the dot."

"Of course," Martin agreed. "I wouldn't think of…"

"Second," Eric began. "You and Ruthie are to go straight to the prom and nowhere else. When you leave to take her home, make sure that you come directly here and make no pit stops on the way."

"Where else would we go?" Martin asked, confusion written all over his face.

"Don't play innocent with us!" Matt yelled. "We know all about your 'plans'."

"And it's not gonna happen!" Simon assured, stepping forward once again, until he was chest to chest with Martin.

"What's not going to happen?" Martin asked. He was completely confused now and a little scared. He didn't want to say something that would anger these three even more.

"The motel, the backseat, the janitor's closet, wherever you had planned to take Ruthie," Matt replied heatedly.

Martin's eyes grew large, finally comprehending what was being suggested. "You think that I…? I would never… I think there's been some kind of misunderstanding!"

"What's a misunderstanding?" Ruthie asked, entering the conversation.

Martin looked up and his breath caught. Ruthie was standing mid-way on the stairs, her dark curly hair up, a few loose tendrils framing her beautiful face. And her dress! It was gorgeous! Ruthie was wearing a gold strapless dress, the bodice wound tightly around her small waist, the skirt flowing freely down her short, but perfect legs. A small black shawl was resting just over her shoulders and she was clutching a tiny gold purse. Martin took a step backward.

"So what's the misunderstanding?" Ruthie repeated, looking from her brothers and father to Martin for some type of explanation.

Mac had pulled Meredith away from the drama and was shaking his head at Ruthie, trying to warn her not to get in the middle of whatever was going on.

Ruthie, ignoring Mac's non-verbal advice, came down the stairs and gave her father and two brothers another questioning look.

"You're not going!" Matt blurted out.

"Matt Camden!" Sarah yelled, dragging Matt away by the arm. "We talked about this and you agreed to stay out of it!" she hissed at her husband.

"What is going on here?" Ruthie asked, looking at her father, guessing that he was to blame for all of this.

Martin, still reeling from how beautiful Ruthie looked, stepped forward, past Eric and Simon, to stand beside Ruthie. He placed a protective hand on the small of Ruthie's back. He didn't know what to say to her. The last thing he wanted to do was tell her that her family was thinking Martin planned to sleep with her tonight. But, as it turned out, he didn't have to.

"He's planning something for you tonight," Simon warned.

Ruthie smiled and looked up at Martin. "Like what?"

Martin bent lower and whispered, "We can talk about it later."

"No!" Matt shouted, moving away from Sarah. "Tell her now. Tell her here, in front of her family. Tell her your big surprise."

"Fine," Martin said, taking a deep breath. He turned to Ruthie and took her hands in his. "I was going to tell you tonight, but since it appears that things don't stay a secret long around here, I'll tell you now. I'm not going to Florida State for college. I've decided to stay here, in Glen Oak."

Ruthie didn't know how to respond to such a wonderful piece of news! She smiled up at Martin and threw herself into his arms, kissing him fully on the mouth. In the background she could hear her father clear his throat, but she didn't care. Martin was staying here! This was the best news ever!

"I thought you wanted to play pro ball?" Simon asked.

Martin smiled back at Ruthie and blushed. "It's sort of all thanks to Sandy really."


	11. Resolutions

"Did I hear my name?" Sandy asked, entering the foyer to find the entire Camden clan hovering.

"What have you done now?" Ruthie yelled at her. "To think I was feeling sorry for you! I knew that you came here just to cause trouble!"

"I haven't done anything! And I don't need you to feel sorry for me," Sandy yelled back. She turned to Simon, tears glistening in her eyes. "I tried, Simon. I really did, but your family is unforgiving!"

"We're not unforgiving when forgiveness is deserved!" Lucy shouted at Sandy. Kevin put a hand on his wife's shoulder, knowing how she could be when she got fired up. "Well I'm sorry, but someone should be honest around here. Sandy, you lied to Martin to try to trap him into a relationship! He's a senior in high school! What could he have possibly offered you? And you," Lucy said, swinging around to face Martin. "You claim to care about Ruthie, but then you're hanging around with the girl you were sleeping with a few months ago!"

"They were never sleeping together! It was a one time thing!" Simon stated.

"And that makes it okay?" Matt asked. "Sounds to me like both Martin and Sandy are to blame. Martin didn't even talk to her afterwards."

"I…" Martin tried to step in.

"Stay out of this!" Eric said, pointing at Martin.

"But he is in this," Mac pointed out.

"It's all her fault!" Meredith exclaimed. "Sandy should never have come here!"

Suddenly, in the midst of all of the arguing and lack of sense going on, there was a loud whistle. Everyone turned to look at Martin, two fingers stuck in his mouth.

"Thank you," he said quietly. He turned to Ruthie, whose face had fallen. He put a finger under her chin and lifted her face until their eyes met. "After everything that happened, or didn't happen, with Sandy, I really started to evaluate my life. I've always thought I wanted to be a pro ball player and I'm not entirely giving up that dream. But I do have other ambitions too. And then there's you. I've never met a person who can make me feel the way you make me feel. When I finally got around to filling out my college applications, the thought of having to leave you, made it impossible. (I almost missed most of my deadlines.) So I talked to a few people in the guidance office and they helped me to realize that a year or two at Glen Oak college wouldn't hurt my chances of a pro career, if that's what I eventually still want. When you graduate, we can decide where we both want to go, together."

Ruthie was smiling again. "So there's nothing between you and Sandy?"

Martin looked over at Sandy. He shook his head. "Just unfinished business, like forgiveness. But that will come, eventually."

Simon put an arm around Sandy, who was clearly touched that Martin had listened to their conversation and really taken some useful knowledge away from it.

"So there was no elaborate plot to seduce Ruthie?" Matt asked, suddenly.

Sarah hit Matt. "You really know how to ruin a moment, don't you?"

Matt shrugged and looked over at Simon and then at his father. They were both looking at their shoes.

"I think this may be my fault," Mac confessed.

"Your fault?" Martin asked. "How?"

Mac blushed. "I may have mentioned something about a secret for Ruthie to Reverend Camden."

Martin's shook his head. "Thanks a lot, Mac."

"Hey, how was I supposed to know they'd jump to all of these conclusions?" Mac defended.

Kevin stepped up to Mac and whispered, "Welcome to the world of Camden life, where everything always has to be more complicated than it really is."

Eric stepped forward and offered his hand to Martin. "I'm sorry, Martin. I should have trusted you. You've given me no reason not to." He turned to his youngest daughter, looking so grown-up in her beautiful dress, and smiled. "I guess I just hate the fact that you're growing up and you don't need me anymore."

Ruthie smiled back at her father and hugged him. "You're my dad. I'll always need you. And thanks for looking out for me."


	12. The Beginning of Always

A/N: This is the final chapter of this story! I hope that it ends the way everyone wants it to. Thank you to everyone who read and responded with such enthusiasm! (You kept me wanting to write!) Please look for more as I will get started on my next project soon!

Martin stared at the beautiful dress draped over the upholstered armchair. He hadn't lied; Ruthie looked absolutely gorgeous in that dress. But she looked even more gorgeous now, covered only in a white sheet, her swept-up hair coming loose, draped over the fluffy pillow.

Ruthie stirred. She opened her eyes and found Martin, head propped up on one arm, staring down at her. She smiled and snuggled close to him.

"You okay?" he asked softly.

"Better than okay. Thank you for the most wonderful night of my entire life," she exclaimed.

"Is that just the champagne talking?" Martin asked with a grin.

Ruthie stretched. "You fooled everyone, you know?"

Martin shrugged. "It's no one's business but ours."

"This is going to change everything, you know?" Ruthie pointed out.

"I'm okay with that," Martin said, laying down beside Ruthie and gathering her naked body close to his. "If it means that I get to do this with you anytime I want to."

Ruthie giggled. "You're a very naughty boy, you know that?"

"And it's what you love about me," Martin laughed.

They shared a long, lingering kiss. Could it be more perfect?

"So, Mrs. Brewer?"

"Yes, Mr. Brewer?"

Martin sighed. "You glad we waited?"

Ruthie bit into her bottom lip. "It was hard, but yes. Thank you for being so patient. I know that it couldn't have been easy."

Martin took Ruthie hand in his and kissed her palm. "Well worth the wait." He turned her hand over and played with the princess cut diamond engagement ring he had given her a year ago. Then he traced a finger around the gold band he had put there today.

"What are you thinking about?" Ruthie asked.

"Do you remember my prom night?" he asked.

Ruthie smiled. "How could I forget?"

"_You look beautiful, Ruthie," Martin said swaying to the music as he held Ruthie close._

"_You don't look so bad yourself!" she joked. "Thank you for making this night so memorable."_

_Martin looked at the door to the gym and sighed. "You wanna take a walk outside for a minute?"_

_Ruthie smiled and taking Martin's offered hand, she followed him out into the courtyard. The decorating committee had adorned this area with mini lights and flowers. The intercom played the same music you could dance to in the gym. It didn't feel like being at school, but in some tropical wonderland; a place where dreams come true and anything can happen.  
_

_Martin sat down at one of the tables, bringing Ruthie to join him. "I think that next year will be good, Ruthie."_

"_I think it will be great," she agreed._

"_I love you," he whispered._

_Martin had said the words so softly, Ruthie began to think he hadn't really said them at all. But he was looking at her, waiting for a response._

"_I love you," Ruthie echoed._

_Martin smiled and pulled Ruthie in for a soft kiss and a long hug. When they separated, Martin had his hand in his suit coat pocket and was pulling something out._

"_I've wanted to tell you that for a really long time now, but it just never seemed like the right time. I didn't want you to think that I was saying it just to get something from you. I want you to know that I really do mean it. I know that things have been strained between us lately. We've been in situations where our strength in what we believe in has been tested. And I'm sure that you've felt a little upset that I haven't followed through."_

_Ruthie blushed. "I understand. It's just that…"_

_Martin shook his head. "I want to be with you Ruthie, more than anything, but I want it to be right. And nothing is more right than marriage."_

_Ruthie's eyes grew large. "You're not…?"_

_Martin started to laugh. "I'm not proposing here. Not yet. What I am proposing is that we wait until we are married. We can help each other with this. And as a symbol of our commitment, I bought us these."_

_Martin pulled two rings out of his pocket. "They're called 'purity rings' and they symbolize our commitment to waiting. I thought we could both wear them."_

_Ruthie smiled. "It's beautiful."_

_Martin reached back into his pocket. "So we agree that we're committed to waiting?"_

_Ruthie nodded her head, slipping the ring on her finger. _

"_Good. I also want you to know that I'm also committed to the day when you and I finally walk down the aisle and commit ourselves to each other forever." Martin took his hand out of his pocket and produced another ring. It had a small diamond in the center. "This is a promise ring, Ruthie. It's my promise to you that someday, when you and I are better prepared, we will get married. Will you take it?"_

_Ruthie was crying, unable to hold back the tears any longer. She nodded her head and let Martin slip the ring onto her waiting finger._

"_This is the most perfect night of my entire life!" Ruthie said._

"If that night was the most perfect, how can tonight be?" Martin teased.

Ruthie entangled her hand with Martin's. "Tonight is the continuation of the most perfect night of my life and the beginning of always."

Please r&r.


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